Forming Village Vulture Conservation Committee (VVCC initiative) to Save Vultures in MTR | May 2026
"Saving vultures is not just protecting a bird species; it is protecting the balance of nature itself."
Chokkanali is a small Irula tribal village situated in the Mudumalai landscape of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Tamil Nadu. Surrounded by forests and rich wildlife habitat, the village is home to the Irula community, who share a close traditional relationship with nature and the surrounding ecosystem. The peaceful environment and proximity to the forests make Chokkanali an important part of the Mudumalai conservation landscape.
On 10th May 2026, the Arulagam team conducted an awareness meeting with 39 villagers. The villagers were introduced to Arulagam and its vulture conservation initiatives. The team explained the ecological importance of vultures in preventing the spread of diseases and discussed the harmful effects of diclofenac, a veterinary drug that causes the death of vultures when they consume treated cattle carcasses.
The villagers were advised to dump only healthy cattle that had died naturally and were not treated with banned medicines. The team also encouraged cattle rearing and explained how forests, birds, and wildlife contribute to environmental balance and water conservation.
During the discussion, the villagers expressed concerns about cattle loss due to tiger attacks and the insufficient compensation provided for such losses. To support affected families and encourage sustainable livestock rearing, Arulagam proposed providing buffalo calves through the VVCC initiative.
The villagers were introduced to the VVCC (Village Vulture Conservation Committee) and informed about its role in addressing cattle health issues, carcass management, and village welfare with the support of Arulagam. A PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal) exercise was also conducted to collect information about the village. The villagers mentioned problems such as lack of grazing land, high veterinary expenses, and difficulties in accessing treatment for sick cattle.
The team suggested preparing cattle feed locally and assured support through training programs, equipment assistance, and livelihood improvement initiatives. Arulagam also emphasized the importance of education and stated that support would be provided to students pursuing higher studies.
The villagers cooperated actively with the Arulagam team and participated in the PRA exercise conducted on 11th May 2026. It was recorded that the village has 74 houses, of which 54 households own cattle. Some villagers requested buffalo calves as the region was not suitable for raising Jersey cows.
On the same day, seven VVCC members were selected by the villagers. The committee members accepted their responsibilities and decided to conduct meetings on the 11th of every month. The organization informed the villagers that one family affected by tiger attacks would receive a buffalo calf through the committee. The first calf born would be given back to the VVCC for community benefit, while the second calf could be retained by the owner. Arulagam also announced that a bank account would be created for the committee and that members would be changed once every three years.
The villagers were informed that vaccinations for cattle are safe and necessary, but banned veterinary medicines should not be administered. They also provided details regarding the number of cattle, goats, and other livestock owned by each household for organizational records.
At the end of the meeting, the village elder delivered the vote of thanks and appreciated Arulagam’s efforts towards both community welfare and vulture conservation.
"Conservation becomes meaningful when communities and nature grow together."